CDC Says New Vaccine Storage Guidelines Not Mandatory

According to Kris Sheedy, Ph.D., associate director of communication science at the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, there is no deadline attached to the update and nothing will be enforced.

"These recommendations are in effect now, and … this is interim guidance, not a regulation," Sheedy said.

"This guidance is intended for use by all public and private sector providers and, while recognizing that cost may be a barrier, we encourage practices to move toward implementing these recommendations as soon as possible," the CDC said in the report. "CDC is currently evaluating the most efficient and cost-effective method to phase these recommendations in, and more guidance is forthcoming."

Jamie Loehr, M.D., of Ithaca, N.Y, a VFC provider and the AAFP liaison to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said the CDC's new recommendations are sound.

"I am actually in the process of going out there and looking at what I need to buy," he said. "This is not a requirement by the CDC, but I do believe this is the way vaccine providers should be going."